After eleven days in Salamanca, nearly 100 facilitators of discernment processes concluded the inaugural “Ignite the Way” meeting on 3 December. Participants—Jesuits, diocesan priests, religious women, and lay people from across the globe—are now preparing to bring their experience home, ready to organize formation programs in their own regions.
“These days have been a profound experience of learning together,” said Fr John Dardis, meeting convener. “We’ve seen people from vastly different contexts—Asia, Latin America, Africa, Europe, North America, South Asia—discover common ground in their approach to accompanying discernment processes. Now the real work begins as they return to their provinces, dioceses, and organizations to share what they’ve learned.”
The meeting achieved its primary goals: discussion of key elements of common discernment, a deep dive into how discernment processes are crucial to the Church synodal movement, identifying core elements for a curriculum that can be adapted to different cultural contexts and coming up with a plan for each region.
Participants examined case studies ranging from discernment with young people to facilitating diocesan Synods, from helping religious congregations identify future priorities to accompanying parish communities through significant decisions.
“What struck me most was the humility and generosity of spirit,” reflected one participant from Africa. “Everyone came willing to learn from each other’s experience—the successes and the challenges. That’s the spirit that will make this initiative fruitful.”
Throughout 2026, regional teams will begin organizing formation programs adapted to local needs and contexts. A new website, https://ignitetheway.org/, will serve as a central resource hub, offering materials that teams can use and adapt for their formation work.
“The beauty of this approach is that it’s genuinely synodal,” noted one participant from Southeast Asia. “We’re not imposing a single model from the center. Instead, we’re trusting local teams to discern what their churches and communities need, while providing them with solid resources and connection to a global network.”
Father General Arturo Sosa, who launched this three-year initiative, emphasized that it represents the Society of Jesus’s contribution to the Church’s synodal journey. “Discernment in common is not a technique to be mastered,” Fr Sosa said in his message to participants. “It’s a spiritual practice that requires formation of the heart. These facilitators will help communities learn to listen together—to each other and to the Spirit—in an age when such listening is desperately needed.”
Looking ahead, the project anticipates continued growth and development. As regional teams gain experience throughout 2026 and into 2027, patterns will emerge about where specific needs are most pressing—whether in formation, work with religious congregations, or support for educational and social institutions. This experience will help shape the initiative’s ongoing evolution, potentially including the identification of regional resource centers that could serve as hubs for deeper formation work.
For now, the focus remains on the immediate task: equipping these newly connected facilitators to begin their mission. Each participant left Salamanca with resources, connections, and most importantly, a shared vision of accompanying the Church in its synodal journey.
“We’re planting seeds,” said one participant from Latin America. “We don’t know exactly how they’ll grow in each place, but we trust the Spirit will bring the growth.”
For more information about “Ignite the Way” or to explore formation opportunities in your region, visit https://ignitetheway.org/ or contact the Jesuits in your local area.
Please keep these facilitators in your prayers as they begin this mission of service to the Church and the world.